Medical Marijuana Push Gears Up In Kentucky

Kentucky state Senator Perry Clark (D-Louisville) is no quitter. Thwarted twice before in efforts to get a medical marijuana bill moving in Frankfort, Clark and supporters are gearing up for another try, and they hope the third time is the charm.

Last Thursday, Clark hosted medical marijuana supporters at his home to revive the effort, and dozens showed up to rally in anticipation of a hearing next month before the Health and Welfare Committee. Although Clark’s 2013 bill is officially dead, he will introduce a new bill for next year, and the hearing will proceed.

“I am about getting access to natural medicine and compassionate medicine to as many Kentuckians as I can get that to,” Clark said, adding that he suffers from back pain and believes marijuana is the best medicine for him. “The doctor has recommended that I take medicinal marijuana, and so has a therapeutic professional.”

“I will not stop advocating for this bill,” said Erin Grossman, who suffers from a nerve disorder. “We’re advocating for safe access, safe medicine for Kentuckians.”

Clark said Kentuckians need to reach out to their elected officials. “What is important is that you talk to your senator, your representative, to break the taboo,” he urged.

Supporters have organized themselves into a group, Kentuckians for Medicinal Marijuana, and they used the Thursday meeting to announce that Irvin Rosenfeld, one of handful of people approved to use medical marijuana under a now long-defunct federal program, will address the August hearing.

“The first time, it wasn’t going to get a hearing because it was very short notice,” he said. “The second time, it languished around for a long time, but we’ve never had a hearing. When you get the hearings, people begin to understand that this not just a bunch of fringe people talking about marijuana, this is mainline thinking now, this is where we’re going.”

Oh hell yea. Even though it’s early in the movement, it is moving. I hope it will happen soon and that the voters of Ky realize the potential of this plant. This coming weekend, July 26th, 27, 28, come to Berea, Ky for the first ever Cannastock. 3$ for a camp site with several bands and excellent fellowship with like minds. It’ll be a blast…….

kycountry

Oh hell yea. Even though it’s early in the movement, it is moving. I hope it will happen soon and that the voters of Ky realize the potential of this plant. This coming weekend, July 26th, 27, 28, come to Berea, Ky for the first ever Cannastock. 3$ for a camp site with several bands and excellent fellowship with like minds. It’ll be a blast…….

Tommy Chong

The inherently red-neck backwards confederate states will be the last of the moron politicians to get their collectives out of their ass-holes and legalize ANY aspects of marijuana re-legalization. Even Hemp!!! Dumb-asses. A friend with weed is a friend in-deed.

With our determination and hard work we will become the 1st state in the south that will legalize medical marijuana. The conversation was started for us last year when we passed our hemp legislation, and with the upcoming Health & Welfare committee meeting we are well on our way to legalizing for medical purposes. We have started the conversation with many associations, unions, and have the support of many senators/house representatives. It is an uphill battle, but the session has not even begun and we already seem to have a good amount of support. If you have any suggestions or are willing to help in any way please let us know. We are always looking for tips on ways to go about our fight. You can contact us at ky4mm2014@gmail.com

dgand

Holding anything back that might help sick people is just not right in my openion. I will never believe in a prohibition of medicine. People that are sick should have access to anything that might help them, whatever that might be, imo. If i ever get bad sick i don’t want told i’m prohibited from curtain medicines that might cure me. We have many sick people now days. I see no harm in medical marijuana.

Scott

Wrote to my elected ohio rep ….here is my letter & his response:

I’m writing to urge your support for House Joint Resolution 6, which would allow Ohioans to vote on regulating the adult consumption of marijuana.

Never in modern history has there existed greater public support for ending the nation’s nearly century-long experiment with marijuana prohibition and replacing it with regulation. The historic votes on Election Day in Colorado and Washington – where, for the first time ever, a majority of voters decided at the ballot box to abolish cannabis prohibition – underscore this political reality.

Despite more than 70 years of federal marijuana prohibition, Americans’ consumption of and demand for cannabis is here to stay. It is time for state lawmakers to acknowledge this reality. It is time to stop ceding control of the marijuana market to untaxed criminal enterprises and it is time for lawmakers to impose common-sense regulations governing cannabis’ personal use by adults and licensing its production. A pragmatic regulatory framework that allows for limited, licensed production and sale of cannabis to adults – but restricts use among young people – best reduces the risks associated with its use or abuse.

I encourage you to support House Joint Resolution 6 and let the Ohio voters decide if it is time to regulate marijuana.

Thank you for your recent e-mail regarding House Joint Resolution 6, which would put on the ballot the issue of legalizing marijuana here in Ohio. One of my favorite aspects of this job is the amount of feedback I receive when issues like this are proposed by my colleagues. Since its introduction by Representative Robert Hagan, I have heard from many on both sides of the marijuana topic.

I have always been opposed to the legalization of marijuana, and remain that way now. For those who claim that medicinal marijuana helps to ease their pain and better certain symptoms they suffer from, there already exists on the legal market synthetic forms of marijuana. Legalizing cannabis in Ohio will only open the door to a world of problems that all stem from drug use: crime, introduction to other (more dangerous) drugs, and increased dependence to other drugs just to name a few. I realize that this legislation would leave it up to the citizens of Ohio to decide whether or not to legalize the drug. While I believe in the democratic system, I was elected and sent to Columbus to vote for the great people of the 97th House District on matters like this, no matter the polarizing effects they have on society. Should we, the General Assembly, vote the way the people don’t like, they can always put it up for a referendum vote and overturn our decision.
I will continue to research the issue and learn everything that I can to cast an informed vote. However, with the drug problem that already exists in and around Muskingum and Guernsey counties, I don’t see at this time how legalizing marijuana use would help in any way.

I am proud to represent you in Columbus, and my goal is to achieve those things that are best for our district, and for our state. Thank you again for taking time out of your day to write me regarding this issue.

Have a nice day,

Brian D. Hill
State Representative
97th House District

concerned in lex. ky

I am in support of the medical marijuana bill in ky. someone i love very much has lived 30 years longer than any doctor has expected
due to a fatal moped crash when he was 16. He still has a fractued skull, but the marijuana has kept his brain from swelling & killing him.

ky smoker

I am a long time smoker and west ky resident and its about time we stop the lies about cannabis and realize its benefits not just medically but personally. Our local news ran a story last night about this issue and they said the biggest opponent was the ky state police??? Of course any “business” that stands to lose millions in funding will oppose anything that will cut into their “profits”!

Herbismeds

we all need to come together and stand for this my wife has epilepsy and medical cannabis is the best solution, we have tried the pills and everything else for years, it just a dragged out solution when she was prescribed cannabis in seattle, then moving to dc not one seizure, not we live in Louisville and yeah she can feel her nerves tense up would love to not see her in pain anymore. but anyways im trying to find more info on rallies and getting more people to understand and know, prob in Kentucky is people don’t know!

Herbismeds

haha I read the ohio letter, saying the crime rate will raise is just ignorance! Lets look at amseterdamn marijuana is not legal there its tolerated and yet they have the most lowest crime rate in world, hmmm really makes you think, lets look at all the tax dollars we could use and get fucking oxycottons off the street and shut down these pill factories! I mean isn’t Louisville like a huge pill poppin city its sickening! all the rehab centers and yet they say marijuana is a killer. Im just over hearing bullshit show me facts and I will have no probleming listening. I am open minded everyone has an opinion in this country just venting lol. Its time to move on until the late 1930’s marijuana wasn’t even a drug, its the feds saying its a killer ( lauging at government cause of stupidity and wonder why people hate America).